Chip Sawdust Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 I have that Veritas and it's OK for smaller dovetails in my opinion, but it is light. For larger dovetails one might like a heavier saw, which is why I've used my LN carcasse saw on 3/4" material (oak and sapele mostly). But I don't cut as close to the line with that saw. Full disclosure: I wanted to buy the Veritas set. I had bought this one, then saw a promo where you could get a discount on the set if you bought all three, so I contacted them. Had I bought them direct from Lee Valley, I would've got the discount. I bought from Woodcraft, so that deal was a no-go. Since then I've bought LV products but I'm not happy with them over that deal. So although I don't think my opinion of their saw is biased, my opinion towards them is, a little bit. After that I said never mind, I'll buy from LN, which is exactly what I did. Love their tools, saws being no exception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wood Basher Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 On 4/28/2020 at 5:46 PM, derekcohen said: If you are starting down the path of dovetailing, get the Veritas 14 ppi dovetail saw. ... If you are reasonably practiced, get the Lie Nielsen. ... If you are advanced, get the Gramercy dovetail saw. ... Derek, that is a good & useful summary. Can you comment on if these saws differ regarding maintenance? With their different tooth counts, rake angles etc are they similar when it comes to sharpening? I do sharpen my saws but am far from expert at that so a saw that was great from the manufacturer might be poor after I have used it for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmac Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 On 4/28/2020 at 10:46 AM, derekcohen said: If you are starting down the path of dovetailing, get the Veritas 14 ppi dovetail saw. This is a comfortable saw to use, and the teeth are sharpened at a 14 degree rake. This makes it one of the easiest dovetail saws to start. It is a little slower to cut, but overall offers the novice the most control. If you are reasonably practiced, get the Lie Nielsen. This is 15 tpi, but the teeth have around 2-3 degrees of rake. This makes the saw cut fast, but significantly harder to start the cut. As a result, there is less control at this stage than the Veritas if unpracticed with such saws. If you are advanced, get the Gramercy dovetail saw. This is a saw that must be held with the lightest grip, which forces you to let the saw do the work. You need experience to loosen your grip like this. However, it will reward with a smooth, controlled action. Regards from Perth Derek I agree with Derek, I started with the veritas (which I found adequate) and on his recommendation bought the Gramercy saw. It did take awhile to get used to it, harder to start, but once comfortable with the saw it is a pleasure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekcohen Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 6 hours ago, Wood Basher said: Derek, that is a good & useful summary. Can you comment on if these saws differ regarding maintenance? With their different tooth counts, rake angles etc are they similar when it comes to sharpening? I do sharpen my saws but am far from expert at that so a saw that was great from the manufacturer might be poor after I have used it for a while. The rake angles differ, with Veritas lowest at 14 degrees. The others are between 3-5 degrees. This does not impact sharpening. What does make the Gramercy the more difficult to sharpen is the smaller teeth, which I recall as 19 tpi. Dovetail teeth are pretty straight forward as they are rip - square across the front. Get the Veritas saw file angle guide. Regards from Perth Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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